Electric light bulb wrench



June 22, 1954 DANlELS 2,681,822

ELECTRIC LIGHT BULB WRENCH Filed May 19, 1952 IN VEN TOR.

figul S-DGJZLBLS Patented June 22, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEELECTRIC LIGHT BULB WRENCH Paul S. Daniels, Rocky, Okla. Application May19, 1952, Serial No. 288,664 8 Claims- (Cl. 294-20) My invention relatesto bulb wrenches, that is devices used in changing electric light bulbs.

One object of my invention is to provide-an improved bulb wrench whichis simple and rugged and which may be made cheaply.

Another object is to provide a bulb wrench which may be used to removeor replace bulbs of various sizes without adjustment.

Another object is to provide a bulb wrench which will grasp a bulbresiliently both in compression and in torsion.

For a more complete understanding of the nature and scope of myinvention reference may be had to the description and drawings in which;

Figure 1 is a view in elevation, partly broken away and in section, ofan embodiment of my invention, illustrating how it will engage bulbs oflarge andsmall sizes;

Figure 2 is a section taken on line 2-2 of Figure l; and

Figure 3 is an exploded view of the principal parts of the device shownin Figure 1.

Throughout the description and the figures of the drawing like referencenumeralsrefer to similar parts.

Referring to the drawing, one embodiment of my invention is shown,comprising'a pole I on the end Id of which there is mounted a resilientcap 2 through the end .3 of which extend a plurality of elongated bulbgripping elementsl the lower ends of which are enclosed by the skirt 5of cap-2.

Bulb gripping elements 4 are preferably of elongated U shape, eachhaving a bight portion 6 which is adapted to engage an electric lightbulb 'I or Ia, and depending legs 8 having lower portions 9 and lowerends II] as best shown in Figure 3. Preferably these U-shaped bulbgripping elements 4 are shaped so that lower portions 9 are closertogether than opposing sides of bight portions 6, so as to be betteradapted to engage a bulb.

As illustrated in Figure 3, spaced holes 3a are formed in the end 3 ofcap 2. These holes are shaped so as to fit legs 8 snugly, and are spacedfrom the axis of the pole with their centers slightly farther from theaxis of the pole than are the centers of ends III in the assembledcondition. When assembled as illustrated in Figure 1, bulb grippingelements 4 have their lower ends I0 secured to pole I while their upperportions project through end 3 of resilent cap 2 and outwardly beyondthe end of the pole. Resilient cap 2 resiliently holds legs 8 in properposition and biases bulb gripping elements 4 toward a closed position.

Each bulb gripping element 4 is preferably made of a single length ofrelatively stiff wire II. Extending approximately at right angles from"the lower ends Ill of legs 8 are short extensions I2. Wire I I ispreferably covered from end to end, that is between ends Ill-I0 but noton extensions I2 I2, by a resilient cover I3 which may be of softrubber.

Spaced around the end of pole I there may be a plurality of grooves I4extending longitudinally and parallel to the axis of the pole I whichare adapted to accommodate the lower portions 9 of the bulb gripipngelements 4, so that when assernbled as illustrated in Figure 1 lowerends 9 of the legs 8 lie in the respective grooves I4. small holes I5may be provided in th pole perpendicular to its axis adjacent the lowerends of grooves I4. These holes before assembly are preferably slightlysmaller in diameter than the diameter of wire I I.

To assemble the device the lower ends 9 of bulb gripping elements 4 arefirst pushed through holes 3aof cap 2 until extensions l 2 protrudebelow the bottom of the skirt 5. This subassemb ly is then pushed overthe end of pole I so that extensions I2 rest over the holes I5.Extensions I2 are then forced into holes I5 by pressing in on ends I 0.Cap 2 is then pressed down until it is seated on the end of pole I, withskirt 5 overlying ends I0, and lower ends 9 lying in grooves I4.

Alhough not essential, I prefer to provide a ferrule I6 that willsurround ends Ill and hold them firmly against the pole. In assembly,the ferrule I6 is first pushed down over the end of the pole below thelower ends of grooves I4. The subassembly of gripping elements and capis next pushed over the end of the pole and the extensions I2 forcedinto their holes; the ferrule is then pushed up over ends I0; and cap 2,which may be slightly recessed to accommodate ferrule I6, is finallypressed down into place. As shown in Figure 2, grooves I4 are preferablybroader than, but not as deep as, the diameter of resilient cover I3,which is compressed under ferrule I6 into thecross-sectional shape I3a.

In lieu of securing ends ID to the pole by means of extensions I2embedded in the pole, various other means may be employed. For example,when a wire such as II is used, extensions, in the shape of eyes (notshown) may be formed at ends ID in place of extensions I2, and these maybe secured to the pole by screws. When a ferrule or the equivalent, suchas It is used to bind the ends II] to the pole extensions I2 or otheradditional means of securing the ends I 0 to the pole 3 are notessential, the ferrule being sufiicient to secure ends in to pole I.

Ferrule l6 may be placed higher on the pole than indicated on thedrawing, but to obtain the maximum resiliency of bulb gripping contactand the widest range of bulb size I prefer to place the ferrule overends ill as shown.

Bulb gripping elements 4 need not be of the U-shaped form shown in thedrawing, but may be elongated elements of any form suitable for engaginga bulb.

While it is essential that bulb gripping ele ments 4 extend throughsuitable holes in a resilient cap 2, it is not essential that cap 2 havea skirt portion 5, provided that lower ends ID are secured to pole I.That is to say, a cap comprising simply a disc similar to end 3 andhaving holes 3a therethrough would serve the purpose and be theequivalent of cap 2.

Pole I may be made in sections such as la and 7 lb, joined by suitablefittings lc.

It will be apparent that the resilient cap 3, combined with the methodof attaching the bulb gripping elements 4 to the pole l at their bottomends gives a very resilient type of bulb wrench which will accommodate awide size range of bulbs and engage them firmly yet resiliently both ingripping action and in torsion when screwing and unscrewing them. Thewrench isfurther improved in these respects by covering the bulbgripping elements 4 with re silient covers and by using grooves 14 whichare slightly wider than the diameter of the covered bulb grippingelements.

It is believed that the operation will be obvious from the abovedescription. The bulb wrench is simply pushed over the end of a bulb sothat the gripping elements 4 resiliently engage it, and the pole ltwisted in the desired directiomior screwing or unscrewing.

It will be obvious that various modifications of thedescribedembodiments of my invention are possible within the scope ofthe following claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A bulb wrench comprising, in combination, a pole, a resilient caphaving a top portion and an integrally formed depending skirt portionmounted on the end of said pole, said depending skirt portion embracingthe end of said pole,

and a plurality of elongated bulb gripping elements having their lowerends secured to said pole and their lower portions extending throughsaid cap, while their upper portions project outwardly beyond the end ofsaid pole, said bulb gripping elements being resiliently biased toward aclosed position by said resilient cap, whereby the upper portions ofsaid bulb gripping elements are adapted to flexibly grasp a bulb whenengaged therewith to remove or re-. place the same.

2. A bulb wrench comprising, in combination, a pole, a resilient capmounted on the end of said pole and having a skirt portion embracing theend thereof, and a plurality of elongated bulb gripping elements havingtheir lower portions extending approximately parallel to each other andto the axis of said pole, while their upper portions project beyond theend of said pole and diverge outwardly from each other, said lowerportions extending through the end of said resilient cap and beingembraced by the skirt portion thereof, the lower ends of said bulbgripping elements being secured to said pole, and said bulb grippingelements being resilientprojecting beyond the end of said pole andhaving portions extending through said cap, and

. a ferrule around said pole embracing the lower ends of said grippingelements for engagement with said pole, said bulb gripping elementsbeing resiliently biased toward a closed position by said resilient cap,whereby said elongated bulb gripping elements are adapted to flexiblyengage a bulb for removing or replacing the same. 4. A bulb wrenchcomprising, in combination, a pole, a resilient cap having a top portionand an integrally formed depending skirt portion mounted on the end-ofsaid pole, said depending skirt portion embracing the end of said pole,and a plurality of U-shaped gripping loops each having a bight portionand depending legs, said depending legs of said gripping loops extendingthrough said cap and having their ends secured to said pole and saidgripping loops being resiliently biased toward a closed position by saidresilient cap, whereby the bights of said loops are adapted to flexiblyembrace a bulb when engaged therewith for removing or replacing thesame.

5. A bulb wrench comprising, in combination, a pole having a pluralityof short longitudinal grooves spaced around the end thereof, a resilientcap mounted on the end of said pole and having a skirt portion embracingthe end of said pole, and a plurality of U-shaped gripping loops eachhaving a bight portion and depending legs, the lower portions of whichlegs extend through said resilient cap and lie in said grooves, the endsof said legs being secured to said pole and said gripping loops beingresiliently biased toward a closed position by said resilient cap,whereby the bight portions of said gripping loops are adapted toflexibly grasp a bulb when engaged therewith for removing or replacingthe same. 7 i 6. A bulb wrench comprising, in combination, a pole havinga plurality of short longitudinal grooves spaced around the end thereof,a resilient cap mounted on the end of said pole and having a skirtportion embracing the end of said pole, and a plurality of U-shaped wiregripping loops each having a bight portion and depending legs, said legshaving extremities extending from their lower ends approximately atright angles to said legs, the wires of said gripping loops beingcovered with resilient covers except ongsaid extremities, the lowerportions of said legs with their resilient covers ex tending throughsaid 18'1 silient cap and lying in said grooves, said extremities beingembedded in said pole and said gripping loops being resiliently biasedtoward a closed position'by said resilient cap,whereby the said bightportions of said gripping loops are adapted to flexibly grasp a bulbwhen engaged therewith for removing or replacing the same.

'7. A bulb wrench comprising, in combination, a pole having 'a pluralityof short longitudinal grooves spaced around the end thereof, a resilientcap mounted on the end of saidp ole and having a skirt portion embracingthe end of said pole, a plurality of U-shaped wire gripping loops eachhaving a bight portion and depending legs and a resilient cover on saidwire, the lower portions of said legs with their resilient coverextending through said resilient cap and lying in said grooves, aferrule around the end of said pole embracing the lower ends of saidlegs for engagement with said pole and said gripping loops beingresiliently biased toward a closed position by said resilient cap,whereby the said bulb wrench is adapted to flexibly engage a bulb forremoving or replacing the same.

8. A bulb wrench comprising, in combination,

a pole, a resilient cap having a top portion and 15 ing a bight portionand depending legs, and a ferrule surrounding the skirt of said cap overthe lower ends of said legs for securing said legs to said pole, saidlegs extending through said cap and said gripping loops beingresiliently biased toward a closed position by said resilient cap,whereby the said bulb wrench is adapted to flexibly engage a bulb forremoving or' replacing the same.

References Cited in the file of this; patent UNITED STATES PATENTSNumber Name Date 52,186 Montgomery Jan. 23, 1866 809,985 Rundberg Jan.16, 1906 2,204,482 Filipak June 11, 1940 2,556,701 Mozena June 12, 1951

